Tingles creeped up and down my arms as the night air blew across me.
There was a full moon tonight; pure white moonlight streamed down through the young, smooth birch trees encircling me. Their papery bark didn't peel, the cool grass under my feet never wilted, and the breeze never stopped singing its song.
I stood in a spot of immortality, my love standing with me. He was tall, so I leaned my head into his bare, muscular chest. My left hand folded over his broad shoulders, as my right played across his chest, tracing lines lightly. His skin was smooth, pale, and indestructable.
The powers were his; speed, strength, skill, wisdom, cunning, and most powerful of all, seduction. He seemed to glow in the light of the moon, breathing in its powers, soaking the star's twinkle into his dark, coal eyes. Further down from his eyes, his lips boasted a blood red color I yearned to mix my own pale pink lips with.
When he smiled, I could see his teeth, gleaming white. Three teeth down from the middle on either side were fangs, sharp, dangerous, and oh so tempting. Venom glistened on them, and I longed for it to be in my bloodstream, for it to change me, enhance me. Make me immortal.
But it wasn't quite that simple. I lifted my eyes up to his, and words came past my lips in a whisper,
"James, please. This is what I want."
James's smile dropped in the corners, and he replied, his voice smooth and stuck to my memory like honey to my finger,
"You want to be a monster? A murderess? You know how we live."
"I want to be with you . . . forever. I know how you live, I'm ready."
James lifted his sculpted arms and wrapped them around my torso, which was covered only by thin blue silk. So I could still feel his cold skin, gaze into his mysterious eyes, almost hear his non-beating heart . . . it was intoxicating. Arms still around me, James said,
"No, I was wrong. You know of how my kind lives, but you can't truly know. However we may look, Addison, we are not perfect. I slip up, make mistakes. You remember, of course?"
How could I forget? It was the night of the prom, three weeks ago. The lights were low and reflected off of every surface and the music played so sweetly it made me want to cry.
Or perhaps I was overwhelmed by James, spinning and dipping me like there was no tomorrow. I swear, we were dancing at an inhuman speed. Maybe not, but my heart was still flying faster then light itself.
Then, he had to leave. This wasn't like James, he had promised the whole night to me. I had waited until midnight, two hours, and prom was over.
I ran the five miles home, sobbing and tripping over my high heels. I was sure he didn't love me.
Then, the next day, murder was on the front page of every newspaper in town. Our biology teacher, Mr. Jensen, was no more. Bled completely dry.
"I do," my voice answered him, trembling with guilt. I knew it was my fault he was thirsty that night, all my fault. I had kept him glued to my side, begged him not to leave. Ever. I was so selfish, and both James and Mr. Jensen paid the price.
My head drooped and my brown, curly hair spilled over my shoulders. Ambitious tears fought their way out from my eyes, rolled down my cheeks, off my chin. All was quiet for a full minute, and James pulled me closer to his body.
"Addison, I know what you think. That wasn't your fault, the thought should have never visited your mind."
My eyes continued to look downwards, I peered through my long lashes at the everlasting green forest floor. Then a pefect hand entered my vision, and placed itself at the side of my neck. James lightly traced my neck up to my chin, and I shivered.
He lifted my head and peared into my eyes. Black to brown, or raven to chestnut. Using his thumbs, James wiped the tears off my cheeks in the fashion of one so compassionate and able of emotion, it made a piece of my heart break to know when I was upset, he was too. I was hurting him.
James bent his neck forward and down to my ear, and his next words were next to the best. His whisper tickled me as he breathed,
"I love you."
He lifted his head away from my ear and looked up to the moon and stars. I looked up too, and saw that the moon had moved to the very center of the sky. It was midnight.
I looked at James's face, and touched his cheek with my hand. He brought his gentle, gaurded gaze down to me, and once again, our eyes connected. Then I spoke:
"Will you love me forever?"
He knew the double meaning laced in my words. Not just love me for my mortal span of life, but love me for eternity. So I could be with him until the end of time and love him just as strong and passionate as he loves me.
James opened his mouth, and hesitation lingered there. My heart thudded wildly, almost bursting from my chest. The moon shone brighter, the stars twinkled livlier.
Every inch of my skin, bone, and blood quivered with anticipation. And then, he spoke,
"Yes."
For a moment my heart stopped, my breath stopped flowing. Then a smile came across my face, but I was afraid to beleive this true. Was afraid to wake up suddenly, in my bedroom, this all have been a dream.
"Yes?" I asked and my voice shook. He answered me, but not in words. In a way much more powerful then words.
His head curled towards the side of my throat, his left hand pushed my curls onto my back. I felt his warm breath on my neck, and my knees were suddenly unstable.
James held onto me like I was the most fragile but precious treasure in the world, like one wind could come and take me away.
His teeth were touching my skin, as light as possible. Hot breath poured onto me, its scent enriching and wonderfully unbeleivable.
All time had stopped, the world didn't spin, the wind ceased its tune, and all was painfully silent. It was just me and the one holding my heart, standing here until the end of time. Strangely, these things made it so much more real.
"Addison," James murmured, then his teeth plunged down, piercing flesh. One thought, one single word, filled my mind, echoing again and again;
Forever.
Forever.
Forever.
Forever.